The Pain that Lies Within
by TivaAPLightning
Summary: Sam is abused regularly by her parents but she hides her pain from everyone. What happens when Freddie start getting suspicious? Eventual Seddie. Contains mentions of child abuse
1. Prologue

Abuse Chapter 1

Abuse. One word that has changed my entire life and how I see the world. The dictionary defines it as "bad or improper treatment" but I know the truth. It is way worse then that. Abuse is the constant pain you feel when the ones who are supposed to love you treat you like your the most vile being to ever set forth on this earth.

I, Sam Puckett, know that constant pain all to well. I never would have guessed this was how my life would turn out like. My parents used to be happy. Until one day when I was only 5 years old.

That day my so-called father walked out on my mom and I. He was one of the most important people in the world to me and I never even got a goodbye. That was the day everything changed. My mom completely lost it. She started drinking more and going out more regardless of the responsibilities she had to me.

Looking back, I wonder why my mom never gave me up for adoption. Sometimes I just like to lay on my bed and think about how my life could have turned out if she had given me up. Maybe I would be happy right now at some fancy boarding school in Texas like Melanie. I could have lots of friends, good grades, and maybe even a boyfriend. But alas that was not the case.

I suppose she wanted to keep a tiny, defenseless punching bag around so she could occasionally let out her frustrations on something. I still remember the very first time it happened. I was only eleven years old. My house was within walking distance of the school so I could walk there as long as I didn't talk to strangers and always kept my little cell phone on me in case of emergencies.

That day, my mom's new boyfriend had broken up with her which wasn't as normal of an occurrence as it is now. She waited for me to come home but when I didn't come home right after school, she got angrier and angrier.

That day, my new friend Molly had invited me over to her house and I excitedly agreed. I tried to call my mom after school but I didn't get an answer. I figured she was out with Chad or something and thought it would be OK to stay at Molly's for a little while.

After about an hour, Molly's parents drove me home and she waved to me from the car as I walked up the door. That was the last time I ever got to see her. When I opened the door, I found my mom sitting on he couch with a bottle of wine in her hand.

She stood up angrily and began to advance towards me. Even at eleven, I figured out pretty quickly that there was something wrong. "Where the hell were you?" she yelled in my face, the stench of alcohol mixed with cigarette smoke quickly overwhelming me. I began to cough and my mother grabbed my jaw and dragged me over to the couch.

I didn't understand what was going on and I tried to explain to her that I had tried to call and where I was but I realize now that no matter what I did, nothing was going to matter. "This'll teach you to listen to me when I order you to do something" she said and grabbed a cigarette from the nearby table.

She lit in and suddenly pushed it against my palm. I tried to scream out in agony but my mom covered my mouth, muffling them. I felt the tears start to slide down my skin as I backed away from my mom who just gave me a disgusted look and shooed me out of the room. I quickly ran to my room, holding my hand, and I just cried for hours. I was so lost and so confused. My mom certainly wasn't the greatest mom in the world but she had never hurt me before today.

The next day, before school started, my mom pulled me aside and warned me to not tell any of my friends or teachers about what had happened or else there would be something much worse waiting for me when I came home. From that moment on, I've always tried to keep people at a distance and not let anybody get too close.

We moved to Seattle only a few weeks later and that is when the barriers that I had been putting up for what seemed like my entire life finally came down. I may have been damaged, but together they healed me. Carly and Freddie became really close friends and I shared everything with them.

Even Freddie, who I constantly teased and insulted, was always there for me when I really needed it. However, they didn't know the truth about what was going on between me and my mom. Sure they knew that we didn't get along so well but I doubt they had any clue about the pain and suffering that I have had to endure for the past 4 years. I thought this was something I could hide forever but I was wrong. And this is the story of how they found out.

**A/N: Hello iCarly fans, first of all thank you for reading chapter one of this story. This idea suddenly popped into my head yesterday and I began writing and this was the result. Let me know what you think and whether I should continue it. It's been a long time since I've written anything long so I'm not sure how good/bad this is but please review :)**


	2. Chapter 2

The Pain that Lies Within- Chapter Two

Sam lied in her bed trying to breath in and out but her chest hurt so much it feels like it is on fire. Tony had really layed into her this time. Tony was her mother's current boyfriend and one of the longer relationships her mother had ever kept besides Sam's father.

At first, Tony seemed like a pretty good guy. He was good to my mom and treated her well. He was even pretty nice to me unlike most of her other boyfriend's who tended to sneer in my direction and get my mother to make me go away. But that changed pretty quickly and I saw the man he truly was. A selfish, disgusting, cruel, horrible man whose favorite pastime was beating on a 15 year old teenager.

My mom's beatings were painful but she usually preferred abusing me by means of her mouth rather than her fists. Tony was 6'5, had huge arms, and could knock someone out in one punch. Slowly, he developed a routine of hitting me every day for some personal offense I committed against him such as showing up late or refusing to get him a beer. After a while he stopped using excuses and just started beating me regularly.

Luckily he rarely hit me in the face so it was pretty easy to cover up the bruises most of the time. Carly and Freddie were none the wiser. Today was an especially bad beating however. I'm not sure why he was so ticked off but when I came home, there he was, sitting on the couch drunk off his ass, and he got up immediately and gave me a jab in the stomach.

He never even said a word.

I lay on the ground almost numb to the constant beatings by now. After a while I noticed him get off and I crawled up to my room like I did every night. Only this time was worse. I knew pretty quickly that these were wounds I could not hide behind makeup and long sleeve t shirts. I felt nauseous and fought the urge to throw up. I drifted off to sleep like I did every night, praying I would be able to leave this horrible nightmare also known as my life. Unknowingly, I almost got my wish the very next day.

Something was definitely wrong and I knew it. From the moment I rolled over in my bed that morning and felt the sharp pain in my stomach, I knew it. I slowly crawled out of bed and got dressed for school. My mom and Tony were already gone doing god knows what, so I grabbed my backpack and took the bus to school. I walked into Ridgeway with my head held high like I did every morning and put on a more cheerful expression when I saw Carly.

Carly began talking about Nathan, her crush who was in her geometry class but I could barely concentrate on a word she was saying. I felt another bout of nausea come over me and needed to put my hand on my locker in order to remain standing. I heard Carly calling my name but it seemed like it was a lifetime away.

My vision blurred and I got the sense that I was about to pass out. I excused myself for a moment and headed to the bathroom which was luckily empty. I entered one of the stalls and removed the remainder of my breakfast from my stomach. I heard Carly come in behind me and hold my hair as I finished throwing up. She really was a good friend. "Woah Sam are you alright?" I heard her say.

I managed to nod weakly while holding my stomach which still throbbed from last night. I was weak at that moment to say the least but I was steadfast on not going to the nurse's office. A trip to the nurse's office meant a trip to the doctor's office.

And a trip to the doctor's office meant many personal questions. Questions that I did not want and were in no condition to answer. So I managed to offer Carly a weak smile and told her that I would stay in school for the day.

Carly was not enthusiastic about the idea but she reluctantly accepted my decision. She left the bathroom with a reminder to go to the nurse if I felt sick again and I spent a minute re-collecting myself before heading out to my first class.

Luckily the rest of the day seemed to fly by pretty fast. After school was over, I quickly rushed home because I had a feeling if I stayed at school any longer, I would win myself a one way ticket to the hospital. As I walked up to my doorstep I prayed that maybe, just maybe, Tony wasn't there and I could go just one day without having a new bruise on my body.

Unfortunately I had no such luck. Tony was there, as he is every day, sitting on the couch waiting for me to come home. He stood up and motioned me over until I was next to him. I knew it was useless to try and run because the pain was always much worse when I did. I closed my eyes and sucked my breath in as I waited for the first blow to hit. It came with a bang and I was seeing stars pretty quickly.

I went down pretty hard, hitting my head on the wooden floor on the way. Tony picked me up again and pulled his fist back to swing again when I decided to try a different approach. Something inside of me completely snapped and I was done being scared. I kicked him hard where the sun shines which made him go down and I sprinted out of the house.

I could hear his screams of "You bitch, get back here right now or I'll kill you" in the distance but at that moment I didn't care. Right now I needed to get away from there and fast. After a while of running throughout Seattle, I found my way to Bushwell Plaza.

I sprinted past Lewbert into the elevator that would take me up to Carly's floor. I pushed the emergency stop button and took a couple of deep breaths. I wiped my tears which had been disguised by the rain but I didn't want Carly to get suspicious if my eyes were red. I thought for a minute of an excuse I could give as to why I had to stay over tonight which had been happening more and more often lately.

I settled on telling her that my house was being fumigated for termites and I would need to stay there for a couple of days. It was the weekend now so my sleeping over wouldn't be that out of the ordinary anyway. I re-activated the elevator and stepped out onto Carly's floor. I approached Carly's door and grabbed the handle before noticing a note that was stuck on the door. I read it and my eyes widened.

It read: _Sam, I'm going to Yakima with Spencer to visit my grandparents for the weekend. Be back Sunday morning. Hope you feel better soon! Love, Carly. _Carly ended the note in typical Carly fashion with x's and o's streamed around it but my mind was far away from hugs and kisses at the moment. _Shit_ I said to myself. _What am I going to do now?_ I knew that I couldn't go back home knowing that Tony was still there no doubt waiting to beat me into a pulp and I didn't have any other really close friends I could stay with for a whole weekend without them getting suspicious.

I leaned my head against the wall and slid down trying to think of a plan. I thought about trying to steal a key from Lewbert but I knew that would backfire and spending the night in a police station certainly wouldn't be fun. Plus I didn't exactly have someone to bail me out. As I sat there trying to think of an idea, a door opened behind me and I heard someone call my name.

**A/N: Here is chapter two :). I was happy enough with the response to chapter one that I decided to write a second chapter. I'm still a bit iffy on whether I'm going to continue this story so I would appreciate it if you guys let me know how this was. It feels a bit rushed to me and not my best work but I think you guys will be a better judge lol. If I continue, expect the next update this weekend**


	3. Chapter 3

The Pain that Lies Within- Chapter Three

_Sam's POV_

I heard a voice calling my name which snapped me out of my daze quickly as I saw Freddie walk into the hallway from his apartment.

Freddie and I have never exactly been the best of friends. In fact, most people assumed that we were enemies and only tolerated each other because of our mutual friendship with Carly. At first, that was the truth. When I first came to Seattle, I couldn't stand Freddie Benson. His nerdy ways and dorkish smile just made me want to drive my fist into his face.

But as I got to know him, I realized that Freddie is actually a kind and considerate person and we've grown into good friends. We may constantly harass each other (ok maybe it's mostly me) on the outside but I'd like to think we've grown past our childish ways and somewhere deep down actually care a bit about each other. Most of the time that just seems like wishful thinking. Other times, it seems like the reality.

When Freddie first emerged from his apartment, my first thought was to run and run far away. I couldn't let him see me like this because inevitably he would figure out the truth.

Part of me wanted nothing more to spill my secrets to someone just so it would all be over. Only I knew that no matter what I said or who I told, this constant pain would never be over. When I was thirteen years old, I decided to try and run away one night. Needless to say I was caught pretty quickly. That night, my mother told me that I should never try and run away again because when, not if, when she found me, my life would be ten times as worse as it already was.

That night I gave up any hope that one day I would wake up and this cruel hand of a life I had been dealt would be over. I wanted nothing more at that moment to run away but something stopped me.

It was only a moment's hesitation. A moment where I wondered what life would be like if I didn't come home to a place where someone was waiting to physically harm me every day.

Unfortunately, that moment was all Freddie needed to recognize that my face was currently covered in bruises. "Woah Sam what the heck happened to your face" I saw Freddie exclaim with a concerned look on his face. I knew this moment would come one day. The day where someone would notice something suspicious and call me out on it.

Once again I felt conflicted. Part of me wanted nothing more than for Freddie to run back inside and call CPS but I knew that couldn't happen. If that happened then nothing good would come of it and eventually I would be left in an even worse state than I am now. So I did what I do best; I lied. "Relax Fredducini I just got into a fight after school and it got a little heated" I said with a confident tone.

Outside I may have looked fine but on the inside I was a wreck. My heart was beating incredibly fast and I needed to escape this moment. Freddie looked at me warily and his eyes narrowed. I knew immediately that he didn't believe me. _Hmm that excuse always works on Carly_ I thought to myself. "Are you sure that's why you're covered in bruises?" Freddie said with a suspicious glare.

I nodded and quickly tried to change the subject. "Did you know about this whole Yakima thing"? I asked him. Freddie shook his head.

"If you had bothered to actually listen for once then you would've heard Carly telling us at lunch" Freddie added with a hint of sarcasm. "Whatever Benson, I'm pretty sure I have better things to do on a Friday night than stand here talking to you" I turned and began to walk away.

"Sam, wait" I heard Freddie call and I froze momentarily. I put on a look of annoyance and turned back towards him. "Why were you so freaked out about Carly not being here?" Freddie asked and I could feel the color drain from my face.

Why was he asking all the questions I did not want to answer?

"It's none of your business Benson so just drop it" I said with disgust on my face. I didn't mean it but I needed a way to get out of this conversation and fast. "Fine just call me if you need anything" Freddie gave me a sincere look and I knew he meant it.

"Pft like I would ever need you for anything" I said but I felt a smile creep onto my face and I turned and walked out the door. I began to head home before realizing what my entire purpose for going to Carly's was.

I cursed to myself and began weighing my options. I couldn't go to Carly's but I couldn't go home either. I looked back at Bushwell Plaza and I wondered momentarily if going to Freddie would be an option.

Outside of Carly, he was my closest friend and he did say that I could call him if I needed anything. I stood there in the rain for a couple of minutes before deciding against it. I figured he just said it to be nice and never thought that I would actually take him up on his offer. I decided to walk home against my better judgment. I knew what would be waiting for me and there was nothing I could do to stop it.

I cautiously opened my front door and looked inside. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw that Tony was not in the immediate area. I crept up to my bedroom and quickly shut the door behind me, happy that I had escaped the abuse for just a little longer. "Hiding from someone?" I heard a voice say from behind me and my blood ran cold.

I turned around and there he was sitting on my bed with a sneer on his face. I couldn't even form a response. As much as I didn't want to admit it, I was petrified of what he was going to do to me. I knew that I didn't have enough time to escape so I looked around my room for an easily accessible weapon. "Looking for this?" Tony held up my bat and a sadistic smile spread across his face.

In one quick motion, he tossed the bat straight out my window and just like that I was left alone with him. "It's time to have a little fun Sammy" He smiled and undid the buttons on his shirt.

My eyes widened as I realized what he was thinking. He may have been a monster but he had never tried anything sexual on me until now. Before I could react he grabbed me and threw me onto the bed. "Don't worry it'll all be over soon" he laughed as I lay there trying desperately to find a way out of this situation.

**A/N: Wow I know it's been a very, very long time since I've updated this story but from now on I'm planning on regularly updating it since it is now summer break for me. I apologize to the people who began this story and wanted to know what happens next and I promise I will begin updating regularly. Anyway please review and tell me what you think of this chapter.**


	4. Chapter 4

The Pain that Lies Within Chapter Four

_Sam's POV_

My heart began beating faster as I struggled to find a way out of this situation. Tony got on top of me and pinned me down. I had nowhere to go and I seemingly had no way out. I felt his hand move up my shirt and touch my bra.

I let a small cry escape from my lips as I felt him move to unhook it. He sat up and began taking off his own pants which actually gave me an idea. The only reason I managed to knock him down last time was because I hit him square in the family jewels.

So I waited and as he got close I struck him with my knee. He cursed loudly and fell to his side. I quickly hopped up and ran out of the room and out of the house just as I had done several hours earlier. I ran and ran until the house was no longer in sight.

I stopped at a bench to sit down and catch my breath. "What the hell am I going to do now?" I said softly to myself and I tried to think. My mind instantly floated to Freddie's offer. "Just call me if you need anything" He had said but did he mean it?

The relationship between her and Freddie had always been difficult to say the least but she hoped that they had evolved from bitter enemies to some sort of friendship. With nowhere else to go, Sam once again began the long walk to Bushwell Plaza. Sam arrived there shortly after and walked up to Freddie's apartment. She raised her hand to knock on the door but hesitated.

Thoughts of rejection flashed through her mind as she finally raised the courage to knock on the door. She waited a few seconds before hearing a click and the door opened.

"Sam?" Freddie said with slight surprise. "I didn't expect to see you here". Sam inwardly winced knowing that coming here was a bad idea. "You know what just forget it" Sam said and turned away.

"Sam, hold on" Freddie said and Sam reluctantly turned back towards him.

"Why are you here?" he said with concern in his eyes. Sam cursed to herself for not remembering to make up an excuse as to why she was there in the first place. She struggled to think of a plausible lie that would convince Freddie to let her stay there.

"Look Freddie this is hard to explain but basically I need a place to stay tonight" Sam gave Freddie an almost pleading look. Freddie's expression softened and he moved, letting Sam enter his apartment.

Sam began walking in but stopped when she was right next to Freddie. "You have no idea how much I appreciate this" Sam whispered so low that Freddie almost didn't hear it. Sam continued walking in and dived right onto the couch.

"So Fredweird where's that even crazier mother of yours?" Sam said making her way into the kitchen and grabbing some popcorn. Freddie smirked slightly at Sam.

"For your information my mom is at a seminar in Aberdeen about aggressive parenting" Freddie grinned. "She'll be gone for the rest of the week" he continued.

Sam was very pleased about that. The last thing she needed right now was Freddie's overprotective mother hounding her all weekend. "Alright Fredalupe I'm gonna go take a shower and no you may not watch" she added when she saw Freddie start to grin. Sam walked into the bathroom and began undressing. She stepped into the shower and let the warm water run all over her.

She grabbed the soap and began scrubbing furiously at her skin. Just the mere thought that Tony could've… she couldn't even finish the sentence it was too painful. She sat down in the shower and let the tears flow freely.

If she hadn't done what she did then Tony most certainly would've raped her which would've ruined her life. She could take the physical abuse to a certain degree but even the thought that he would've done what he almost did would've destroyed her. Sam finished washing herself and stepped out of the shower. "This is gonna be a long night" she said to herself and prepared herself to face Freddie.

After Sam departed for her shower, Freddie sat down on the couch and began thinking about Sam. Their friendship had changed a lot over the past year and they had certainly been closer than ever before but something was definitely off about Sam these last few days. It started with her sickness and then there were the bruises and now her showing up on his doorstep in the middle of the night.

"What the heck is going on with her?" Freddie said to himself and shook his head. For Sam to have shown up at his door, he knew she must have been desperate. But about what? Why would Sam need a place to stay tonight? Does Carly know?

That unanswered question suddenly gave Freddie an idea. He grabbed his cell phone and dialed a number he knew oh so well. It rang a few times before going to voicemail. Freddie sighed and decided to leave a message.

"Hey Carly, it's Freddie listen this is going to sound weird but do you know if anything is going on with Sam lately? She seems… different. Anyways call me back as soon as you get this" Freddie snapped his phone shut and lied on the couch.

A few moments later he heard the bathroom door open and Sam walked in still wet from her shower. Freddie planned on questioning her about tonight's developments but Sam stopped him before he could say a word. "Hey Freddie I'm pretty tired tonight so if you don't mind I'd like to go to bed" Sam said and moved to sleep on the couch.

Freddie rolled his eyes and motioned Sam to follow him into his room. Sam was confused but nevertheless followed him. "It's rude to make a guest sleep in the living room. So, for as long as you are here, this is your room now" Freddie gestured to the room.

"Freddie you really don't need to do that" Sam shook her head but Freddie wouldn't let up. "I'm trying to be a gentleman here Sam, just play along, will you?" Freddie looked at her. He wasn't exactly sure why he had decided to offer up his room at the last second but he knew that Sam was having some sort of severe personal trouble and he wanted to help her somehow, in some way.

"Well thank you Freddie that is very sweet of you" Sam managed to choke out which made Freddie smirk. "Anytime" he winked and he let Sam get settled while he decided to set up a makeshift bed on the couch. Sam got into the bed and fell asleep that night feeling safe for the first time in several years.

The first scream jerked Freddie out of his slumber around 3 AM. Once he recognized where the screams were coming from he jumped up without a second thought and raced into his room.

He heard a second scream as he reached the door and quickly looked inside. He saw Sam writhing on the bed in apparent agony in her sleep as she kicked out against her dream.

She looked so scared, so... vulnerable that Freddie froze for a second. He made his way over to her and his eyes traveled to Sam's stomach for a moment. Her shirt had ridden up slightly and many scars and bruises remained deep within the flesh.

Freddie's eyes widened and he made a mental note to talk to her about those tomorrow but his goal right now was to get Sam out of her personal nightmare. "Sam" he said softly trying to wake her but she didn't seem to hear him.

"Sam!" his voice rose, but she continued to fight him, not stirring from her dream. Finally he put his arms on her shoulders and shook her. "Sam!" he yelled and her eyes shot open. She struggled against him as she was obviously still stuck in her dream.

"Sam, it's me Freddie" he said and her eyes finally flashed with recognition. She felt his arms wrap around her a bit and immediately shrunk away from his grasp. She couldn't handle all of this at once.

His touch brought back memories of this afternoon which she could not afford to relive. "I'm awake Freddie now please just let me go" Sam said with a quivering tone as she backed away a bit.

Freddie watched as Sam turned away from him and he took that as his cue to exit the room. Freddie shook his head and sighed.

_What the hell is going on with her? _He thought to himself as he closed the door behind him. Tomorrow he would definitely get to the bottom of this whole thing. Maybe a visit to Sam's home would give him some insight…

**A/N: Hey guys first of all thank you so much for the response to the last chapter. I was very thrilled and it inspired me to write this chapter so quickly. I know the characters are a bit OOC but I'm still learning on the job haha and doing it without a beta is not easy. The next update won't be for a while probably until this weekend but I wanted to get you guys this quick chapter to tide you over. Anyways let me know what you think of this chapter **


	5. Chapter 5

The Pain that Lies Within Chapter 5

The aroma of pancakes awakened Sam early Saturday morning. As she awakened, Sam felt a smile creep up on her lips as the sweet smell of bacon also reached her nose.

Once Sam opened her eyes, her smile immediately turned into a frown.

She woke up looking at an unfamiliar bedroom and she entered a state of confusion. It took a few moments but her memories of the previous night finally caught up with her and she sighed.

She just knew that Freddie was going to demand an explanation for everything that happened and she was far from ready to let him in to that degree. Sam rubbed her eyes and jumped off the bed.

_Maybe some breakfast will help me think of a plausible excuse_ Sam thought to herself as she exited the room. Sam was slightly surprised to find Freddie at the stove cooking bacon.

"Wow Benson I didn't know you could cook" Sam said with a slight smile which made Freddie turn around.

"I'm full of surprises Puckett" he winked at her and turned his attention back to cooking the bacon. _This isn't going so bad thus far_ Sam thought to herself. She knew it could only get worse from here.

Freddie finished cooking and served a plate of pancakes and bacon to both himself and Sam. They both sat down to eat and soon an awkward silence filled the air. Freddie and Sam both occasionally glanced up at each other with neither working up the courage to mention last night.

"So.." Freddie started but Sam was not ready to have this conversation. "I'm done" Sam stood up to put her plate in the sink even though there was still food left on it.

"Sam, we have to talk about this at some point" Freddie raised his voice slightly and Sam shook her head.

"Look Freddie" Sam said taking a step towards him. "I appreciate what you did for me last night, but as far as we are concerned, last night never happened" Sam said sending a sharp look at Freddie at the end of her statement.

Freddie stood his ground and narrowed his eyes right back at her. Sam's eyebrows raised slightly in surprise. _When did Freddie grow this much of a backbone? _She thought to herself.

She gave Freddie a look that almost bordered on pleading, not that Sam Puckett would ever plead with anybody. Freddie's expression softened as he stepped out of the way and let Sam walk right out the door.

Freddie wanted nothing more than to grab her and make her stay because he knew she was suffering, but he also knew that there was nothing he could do in the moment to help her. Sam would come to him in time. She did it last night, she could just as easily do it again.

As he heard the door click, Freddie sighed and sat down on the couch. He absent-mindedly checked his phone and saw that Carly had called him this morning. A light bulb went off in Freddie's head as he began dialing Carly's number.

"C'mon pick up Carly" Freddie said under his breath but sighed again as the phone went to voicemail. He shut his phone in frustration and barely stopped himself from throwing it against the wall.

He needed to figure out what was going on with Sam and fast. _Maybe I just need to think deeply about this for a few minutes_ Freddie thought to himself. Freddie began recalling what had led to last night.

It all started with Sam's sickness on Friday. Then Sam showed up at Carly's on Friday night and was very upset that she wasn't there. Then Sam shocked the hell out of him by showing up at his door later that night. He remembered how she had thanked him as she walked in the room. Whatever she needed to get away from, it was obviously very bad if she needed to come to him for help.

Then Freddie remembered Sam's nightmare and how she shrunk away from his touch. Of course he couldn't forget the bruises he saw on her stomach when he was trying to awaken her. Freddie shook his head in annoyance.

He could see all the pieces to the puzzle but he was having trouble connecting the dots. Freddie decided to try and take his mind off the current situation. Maybe if he stopped analyzing everything for a while, all the pieces would fall into place and he would realize what was wrong with Sam.

The moment Sam walked out the door she knew it wasn't the brightest move. Freddie was there for her and willing to help but her stubbornness got the best of her again.

Her own doubts and insecurities about herself would not allow her to let Freddie in to her life and it was going to cost her. With nowhere else to go now, Sam once again began the journey back home. She had no idea what she was going to have to face when she got home but she knew it would involve pain.

Sam made her way up her staircase and grabbed the bat that she always kept hidden in the bushes. She was absolutely petrified at what she was going to find beyond that door and she had half a mind to run back to Freddie's and tell him everything that has happened.

She couldn't do that and she knew it so she advanced into her house, opening the door ever so slightly. She swung the door wide open and quickly glanced around. Seeing nobody in the immediate vicinity, Sam smiled but it was a small smile when the events of yesterday came back to her.

She felt an immediate sense of déjà vu and took a long look at the staircase that would lead to her room. She took a deep breath and briefly debated in her head whether or not she should go upstairs. _I have to face this at some point _she told herself and began moving up the stairs. She knew it was a bad idea but she continued on anyway.

Several hours later Freddie was stuck in the same position he was earlier. He had tried taking his mind off the situation with Sam but eventually his curiosity got the better of him. This whole thing was driving him crazy and he needed to do something about it. More than anything, he needed to find out what was going on with Sam.

He opened his phone to call her but then decided against it. Sam certainly wasn't going to reveal a deep, dark secret over the phone and certainly not to him. This was something he was going to have to do in person.

He grabbed his phone and began heading out the door towards Sam's house. He got as far as the hallway before he realized something. He had absolutely no idea where Sam's house is. Freddie sighed again and pulled out his phone.

He dialed Carly's number and for once actually received an answer. "Hey Freddie what's up" Carly's cheerful voice drifted through the speaker. "Oh now you answer your phone" Freddie sarcastically said under his breath so Carly would not hear him.

"Hey Carly, listen I know this is going to sound weird but I need Sam's address now" Freddie half yelled.

"Oh god Freddie what did you do?" Carly said. "I warned you about stealing Sam's ham, it's just not good for your health" Carly admonished leading Freddie to sigh in annoyance.

"It's not about that just tell me what her address is" Freddie said with a hint of anger in his voice. "It's 68 Northdale Rd. but listen Freddie I don't lik-" Freddie hung up on her before she could finish her sentence. He rushed out the door and began sprinting towards Sam's house. He didn't know why but he suddenly had a very bad feeling about Sam.

**A/N: Hey guys I managed to finish this chapter a lot faster than I planned. I'm looking at a tough few weeks with final exams which will mean slightly less regular updating but I will try and write as much as I can. I was happy with the response to the last chapter and I hope you guys keep it up with the reviews and alerts . This looks like it'll be my first story to break 2,000 hits with this chapter (big milestone for me hehe). Anyways thanks in advance and expect the next update around Sunday or Monday.**


	6. Chapter 6

The Pain that Lies Within- Chapter Six

Sam slowly and stealthily made her way up the stairs to her room questioning her sanity every step of the way. She didn't know why she even wanted to put herself in this position again but she needed to end this once and for all.

Sam reached the top of the stairs and took a quick look around with her eyes falling on the one person she hated most in the world. Tony stood in the middle of the hallway with a dangerous glint in his eye.

"I knew you'd be back Sammy" he took a step towards her while Sam instinctively took a step back. Sam could feel her heartbeat quicken and she gripped the bat tighter. Tony noticed this and let out a devilish chuckle.

"Oh you're not going to use that on me Sammy" his laugh turned into a dangerous stare again. They locked eyes once again and Sam was terrified. She had a weapon but she still felt completely defenseless.

"Give me the bat right now" he yelled taking a step forward. Tony put his hand out as if he actually expected Sam to give him the bat. Sam felt all her pent up anger and frustration come to the surface as he tried to reason with her.

"Come and get it, you son of a bitch" Sam said so quietly she wasn't sure if he had heard her. The expression on Tony's face immediately changed and Sam knew he had heard her.

Sam doubled back and ran down the stairs two at a time. She wasn't sure what her plan was but standing in that hallway sure wasn't going to help her. She heard footsteps trailing behind her and she pulled on the doorknob only to discover that it was locked. She furiously turned the locks trying to find her way out when she felt a strong arm wrap around her neck.

"Going somewhere"? Tony whispered in her ear as she struggled to get free. Sam could feel consciousness begin to slip away and she backed up trying to make him crash into something.

She succeeded as Tony tripped over an old beer can.

_How ironic_ Sam thought to herself but that thought was quickly replaced by the desire to get out of there and fast. She began crawling towards the door when she felt Tony grab her foot.

Sam turned and used her momentum to swing her other foot into Tony's face. She breathed a sigh of relief when she heard a crack and a scream. Tony's nose had most likely been broken which gave her a satisfactory feeling. She could hear him stirring and stumbled her way towards the door. Before she could make it she saw the door burst wide open and Freddie stood there with a wide-eyed expression.

_Several Minutes Earlier_

Freddie dashed out of Bushwell Plaza and began running straight towards Sam's house. He didn't know what it was, a gut instinct or something but he could feel that Sam was in trouble.

Something was wrong and he needed to stop it. Freddie hesitated outside the Bushwell parking lot and decided to use his mom's car. He technically didn't have his license yet but he had his permit and Northdale Rd. was too far to run all the way there.

He hopped in the driver's seat and immediately began driving being as close to the speed limit as he could without going over it. As he neared Sam's house, he turned off the engine and pulled right in front of it. Only then did he realize that there was a good chance his visit was pointless.

Sam would be completely fine and would laugh in his face for showing up at her house all concerned. Freddie sat in his car for a moment and stared at the house wondering if he should go knocking on her door. His concern for Sam eventually bested him. He jumped out of his car and began walking up the stairs towards the front door.

As he neared the door, he heard sounds of a fight beyond the door. He put his ear to the door and he heard Sam let out a muffled cry. That was all Freddie needed and he immediately tried to open the door.

Finding it locked, Freddie cursed to himself and pulled a paperclip out of his pocket and let out a small smirk. Maybe Sam did have a positive influence on him after all. He jammed the paper clip in the keyhole and turned, opening the door.

His eyes widened as he took in the scene before him. Sam was stumbling towards him looking like she had just been to hell and back and there was a older man on the floor with blood coming out of his nose.

"Go, Freddie go" Sam motioned as she partially dragged him outside.

"Sam, who is that?" Freddie asked. He opened his mouth to ask another question but Sam held up her hand.

"Listen Freddie, we don't have time for questions; what's the fastest way out of here?" her voice cracked at the end with fear. Freddie pointed towards the car and Sam hopped in it with Freddie following close behind.

They heard Sam's door swing open and turned to see Tony moving clumsily towards them. Sam's kick had obviously disoriented him. When his eyes landed on the two teens, he made a beeline towards them.

"Freddie drive!" Sam yelled as Freddie started the car and began speeding off in the distance. Once they were out of harm's way, Sam breathed a sigh of relief.

"Okay Freddie can you just drop me off at the Comfort Inn and then I'll—What?" Sam stopped when she noticed Freddie shaking his head.

"No way, you are coming back to Bushwell Plaza with me and you're going to explain everything from the very beginning" Freddie gave her a look which told her that she did not have a choice in the matter.

"Look" Freddie began as his expression softened, "I don't know what exactly is going on but I'm not letting you stay at some sleazy motel without knowing that your safe" Freddie gave Sam a small smile.

Sam opened her mouth to make a remark about his last comment but decided against it. _He wants to know your safe_ a little voice inside Sam's head told her.

They pulled up at Bushwell Plaza and Freddie carefully led Sam to his apartment. He led her to the couch and they both sat down. He took her hand in his and looked Sam in the eye.

"Sam, please let me help you" Freddie pleaded with her. Sam stared deeply into Freddie's brown eyes and was so tempted to let everything out. She was so close to the end of her long, arduous journey but could not bring herself across the finish line. She felt the tears well up in her eyes as she was overcome with emotion.

"I…I can't Freddie" Sam finally choked out and barely managed to hold Freddie's gaze.

"Why not"? Freddie asked her and Sam struggled to keep her composure. It was as if the pain and suffering of the last 10 years had finally caught up to her in this very moment.

"I can't drag you into this Freddie, you have no idea what my life is really like" Sam said.

"Sam, listen to me for a moment" Freddie began. "I don't care what I am dragged into. I want to be there for you, more than anything I want you to feel safe" Freddie continued. "Sam, please let me in" he ended his small speech.

Sam bit her lip and Freddie could tell she was trying to make a decision. "Look Freddie can we just talk about this tomorrow" Sam said. "I swear I won't leave" she added when she saw the skepticism on Freddie's face.

Freddie sighed and took a minute before answering. "Okay" he responded leading Sam to breathe a sigh of relief.

"Thank you, Freddie" Sam sincerely added and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. Freddie gave her a small smile and lead her to his room.

"Freddie you really don't need to give up you- I insist" Freddie cut Sam off in the middle of her sentence.

"I'm certainly not going to make you sleep on the couch after today" Freddie said. Sam winced slightly at that but Freddie didn't notice.

"Thanks again for everything" Sam said and Freddie nodded.

"Good night Sam, sweet dreams" Freddie added and left the room.

Sam breathed a sigh of relief once he was gone. She had survived the day although she knew tomorrow would bring a lot of emotion.

She got ready for bed and tried to mentally prepare herself for the following day. She went to bed that night praying that the nightmares that had plagued her in the past would not make their presence known tonight. Unfortunately it seems her prayer would fall on deaf ears.

**A/N: Hey guys sorry I know this chapter took a lot longer than expected but I'll try and get the next one up faster. Anyways let me know what you think of this chapter. Reviews are always welcome and really motivate me to write more hint hint haha. I was a little disappointed with the response to the last chapter but I guess I was spoiled with chapter four. Anyways I'll stop rambling lol and I'll try and get the next chapter up by Monday or Tuesday.**


	7. Chapter 7

The Pain that Lies Within- Chapter Seven

It was only 2 hours later when Freddie was awoken by the sound of screams coming from his bedroom. Freddie rushed into the room feeling a sense of déjà vu as he saw Sam writhing around his bed.

He got behind her and wrapped his arms around her, trying to bring her out of her nightmare. For just one moment, Freddie felt Sam relax against him before he saw her eyes open.

Once she realized where she was, she immediately pulled away from Freddie. Freddie sighed to himself as he looked at Sam with her tattered appearance.

He hated the way that these nightmares seemed to take control of Sam and make her seem so frightened but he didn't have the courage to ask her the meaning behind these dreams.

He knew getting Sam to trust him with any secret of hers was a formidable task and the last thing he wanted to do was pressure her. Although Freddie was focused on his emotions, he did notice that both Sam's shirt and his sheets were covered in sweat.

"Sam, why don't you take a shower and clean yourself up a bit and then I'll be out in the living room" Freddie asked her. Sam could only nod, not finding the courage to speak, knowing that she wouldn't be able to last under his questions.

Her defensive walls that she had spent years building were quickly falling down around her and she needed time to rebuild them. Freddie led her to the bathroom and then left so she could take a shower in peace.

Sam sighed in relief and hopped in the shower. She didn't know what it was exactly but something about Freddie just made her crumble but in a good way. She felt... different when she was with him.

_You feel safe with him_ a little voice inside her head told her but Sam tried to shake that thought. She took a few minutes to regain her composure before stepping out of the shower and getting dressed.

A few minutes later, she walked out of the bathroom and saw Freddie curled up on the couch with some popcorn. Once he spotted her, he motioned for her to join him and she walked over tentatively.

"I figured since we were both up on this fine Saturday night, we might as well watch a movie" Freddie held up "The Sound of Music" with a grin. Sam gave Freddie a small smile wondering how he knew what her favorite movie was.

She sat down next to him and tried to focus on the movie. A few minutes went by before Sam couldn't take it anymore and paused the movie.

"Freddie why are you doing this for me?" she said looking Freddie straight in the eye. He was visibly caught off guard by the question and hesitated a moment before answering.

"Sam this is one of the greatest movies of all time, how could I—what?" Freddie stopped as Sam shook her head.

"No, not the movie you dumbass" Sam said with a joking tone.

"These past few days you have been an incredible friend to me after I've spent the last 5 years treating you like dirt and I want to know why" Sam looked straight at Freddie. Freddie nervously chuckled and tried to avoid Sam's stare. This was one question he knew he couldn't weasel out of with a lie or a smartass answer.

"I guess I just figured that Carly would want me to look after yo- what now?" Freddie was interrupted by Sam shaking her head again.

"Freddie you and I both know you would never go this far just because of your obligation to Carly" Sam spoke with total honesty.

"Now do you want to give me a real answer or do you want to keep making up excuses?" Sam asked him but her expression told him that he needed to tell the truth. Freddie struggled with the question for a minute wondering what he should tell Sam.

"Look Sam I… I care about you okay?" Freddie finally admitted to her. "

As much as we may fight, I consider you one of my best friends and the last thing I would want is for you to be hurt" Freddie cautiously looked up at Sam after finishing that sentence.

He half expected Sam to break his arm for admitting that and was surprised by her actual reaction. Her expression softened and she gave him a small smile.

"Thank you Freddie" she said leaning over and giving him a quick hug. They sat there in an awkward silence for a few moments before Sam cleared her throat.

"Well Freddie I think I'm going to go to bed now" she said and headed off in the direction of the bedroom.

"Are you going to be alright?" Freddie called making Sam momentarily freeze in her tracks.

"I will be fine, thank you Freddie" she said and continued walking towards the bedroom.

_She is most certainly not fine_ Freddie thought to himself as he set up his temporary bed on the couch.

He needed to find a way to try and help her through all of this but nothing he tried seemed to work. He sat there for a few minutes before a light bulb went off in his head. "Of course!" Freddie said softly to himself and jumped off the couch.

Sam had finally found a comfortable position on Freddie's bed when she heard a light knocking sound come from her door. She turned and saw Freddie standing there clutching a pillow and some blankets.

"Freddie what are you doing?" she asked him in a slightly dazed confusion.

"Well, you see the clock in the living room is ticking really loud and it's driving me crazy. I was wondering if perhaps I could sleep in here on the floor" he clarified with a hopeful look. Sam studied him for a moment trying to figure out what his angle was.

Obviously the reason he was here had nothing to do with the clock and everything to do with her. Sam hesitated but nodded and then laid back down. Freddie began making up a bed on the floor when Sam suddenly sat up.

"Freddie, this is your room and your bed; you should be the one sleeping in it instead of me" Sam said.

"No, this is a good arrangement" Freddie winced slightly at the feeling of his back on the floor.

"In fact, I like the floor so much that I might just sleep here every day" Freddie lied through his teeth which Sam easily caught. Sam knew he was lying but decided not to call him out on it. Freddie was once again being kind and considerate with her and she couldn't help but appreciate him.

With a small smile, Sam turned and resumed her attempt to sleep peacefully for the night. For some reason, Freddie's presence made her feel a bit better and she hoped that she would be able to sleep through the night now. Sam closed her eyes feeling safe knowing that Freddie would be there for her no matter what.

As much as Freddie and Sam had hoped it, Freddie's presence was not enough to stop Sam from having nightmares again. Only two hours after the first dream had occurred, Freddie once again found himself awoken by Sam's cries. He jumped up, desperate to help Sam come out of her nightmare.

"Please Tony stop" Freddie heard Sam call out which momentarily confused Freddie.

_Who is Tony?_ Freddie thought to himself. Freddie made a mental note to ask Sam that along with many other questions when they talked the next day. He made his way over to her and cautiously put his hand on her arm.

Freddie's touch awakened Sam and for a brief moment she allowed him to hold her. The moment ended far sooner than Freddie would've liked as Sam shrunk away from his grasp. Freddie waited a minute before reaching out again but Sam held her hand up.

"Please don't touch me" Sam said her voice shaky. Freddie didn't force the issue and he unhappily returned to his makeshift bed on the floor. His eyes never left her as he watched her suffer alone wishing that he could do something to help her.

Sam would not let him in and until she did, she would never allow him to help her because of her damn pride. He rolled over, unable to watch what her memories were doing to her. Freddie was not a religious guy but he found himself praying that night.

He prayed that he could wake up tomorrow morning and everything would be fine. He prayed that Sam would one day trust him enough to let him into her world. Above all this, he prayed that the anguish Sam was facing would end and in that moment, Freddie vowed that he would find whoever did this to Sam and he would make them pay.

**A/N: Hey guys I want to thank all of you for all the reviews you have contributed thus far and I appreciate all the feedback, whether it be praise or criticism. I try to write and upload these chapters as fast as I can but sometimes life gets in the way so it's not always easy to post it on the day I say I will. Anyways thanks for all the continued support guys and I will try and upload the next chapter by Sunday or Monday.**


	8. Chapter 8

The Pain that Lies Within Chapter Eight

The next morning came too soon for Sam Puckett.

Just as she had 24 hours earlier, Sam awoke to the smell of bacon and the sight of Freddie cooking breakfast for her.

Only this time there would be nowhere for her to run and nowhere to hide. She was figuratively backed into a corner. She had to tell Freddie the truth or else she knew she could lose him and she was not prepared to do that.

They ate their breakfast together in silence. Sam could feel Freddie's eyes on her the entire time. Freddie must've been thinking about the nightmares he had been witnessing over the past few nights.

The nightmares had been a part of her life for a while now but over the past couple weeks they had intensified. Sam sighed as she finished her breakfast and threw the plate into the sink. She went to sit on the couch and collect her thoughts.

_How could I even begin to tell Freddie the pain I go through every day? _Sam thought to herself. It was sweet that he seemed determined to help but there wasn't much he could do.

Freddie gave her a couple minutes to herself before joining her in the living room. He sat next to her waiting for her to begin. He hated that he was pressuring her into a situation she didn't want to be in but he couldn't let Sam run away any longer. Sam finally looked up at him a couple minutes later.

"Freddie…" she trailed off unable to finish her sentence. Freddie moved his hand on top of hers and looked straight at Sam.

"Listen Sam, I know how hard this is for you but I'm here to help you" Freddie began. He knew it would take a lot of convincing to get Sam through this explanation.

"No matter what you tell me today I won't judge you or think any less of you. Whatever you say can stay between us but Sam please let me help you with this" Freddie finished. Sam and Freddie stared at each other for a few moments before Sam broke her gaze.

"Okay" she said quietly, so quietly Freddie wasn't sure if he had heard her correctly. Freddie breathed a sigh of relief. A few moments later, Sam found the strength to begin talking.

She opened her mouth to speak but a knock on the door interrupted her before she started. Freddie cursed softly to himself and got up to answer the door.

"This better be so damn important…" Freddie muttered to himself as he opened the door. When he saw Carly Shay on the other side his mouth almost dropped open in panic.

"C…Carly what are you doing here?" he asked. "You're not supposed to be back until Sunday!" he exclaimed looking back into the living room. Sam had disappeared from the room and Freddie sighed in frustration.

"It is Sunday" Carly responded. "Did Sam hit you so hard that you forgot what day it was?" Carly laughed. Freddie nervously chuckled trying to inconspicuously locate Sam in his apartment but she wasn't visible from the doorway.

"So, how did your weekend with Sam go?" Carly asked which made Freddie's eyes widen slightly.

"W…What makes you think I spent the weekend with Sam, I mean nothing happened or anything" Freddie stammered and received a questioning look from Carly in response.

"Um, because she would've needed someone to steal food and money from in my absence" Carly explained, still giving Freddie a weird look who was desperately trying to avoid her glance.

"Well I haven't seen Sam since Friday so I guess she found a different source of ham for the weekend" Freddie lied with a convincing smile. Carly eyed him but seemed to accept this explanation.

"Okay well I just wanted to let you know that we're back and I'll see you at school tomorrow" Carly finished and waved goodbye to Freddie. She stepped back into her apartment and thought about her encounter with Freddie. Something was definitely up with him.

Freddie wasn't the best liar and she knew he had just lied about not seeing Sam all weekend. She wondered what had happened between them this weekend.

"I'll have to ask Sam later" Carly muttered to herself and turned on the television. Something happened between her two best friends and she was determined to figure out what that was.

The second Carly closed the door to her apartment, Freddie rushed back into his. "Sam?" he called out hoping she hadn't left like she had only 24 hours ago. He searched unsuccessfully through several rooms before coming to the fire escape.

Freddie cursed to himself as he realized what Sam had done. He had used the fire escape as a means of escape from his crazy mother before and Sam had followed in his footsteps. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed Sam's number. It rang twice before Sam picked up the phone. Sam cut him off before Freddie even had a chance to speak.

"This was a mistake Freddie, I'll see you tomorrow in school" Sam said and then promptly hung up the phone.

"Damn it" Freddie yelled to no one in particular. He had lost her again. This time, he wasn't as confident he'd have another chance to help her.

A couple hours passed by and Freddie was growing more and more worried by the minute. He had absolutely no idea where Sam was or whether she was safe or not. At least while she was here, he knew she was safe from harm. Repeated attempts to call her were futile as she never answered her phone.

_Maybe that's because she can't answer the phone_ a small voice in Freddie's head told him but he quickly tried to shake those thoughts. He couldn't go to Carly because she'd instantly know something was up between him and Sam if he was this concerned about her whereabouts.

"Oh screw it" Freddie stuffed his phone into his pocket and knocked on Carly's door. "Come in" he heard Spencer yell and he turned the door handle. When he opened the door and saw Sam sitting on the couch, completely safe, he almost hit himself for not realizing it.

Sam was always at Carly's house and he didn't even think to look in the most obvious place. Sam cast a brief look at Freddie when he first entered but then went right back to paying attention to the television.

_Well if she wanted to play it that way, he could do that_ Freddie thought to himself. Spencer greeted him and Freddie walked over to Spencer at the counter.

"Hey Spence, how was Yakima?" Freddie asked with mock enthusiasm. Generally, he would be interested in Spencer's antics but today his only concern was Sam. Carly was nowhere to be seen so all he needed to do was get Spencer out of the room and he could be alone with Sam.

"Oh it was great, Granddad taught me this great song that I can play on the banjo and we had a great time but then somehow his caught on fire and then we had to leave" Spencer finished with a dejected look.

"I really wanted to play that song for someone" Spencer exclaimed. An idea suddenly hit Freddie about how he could get him and Sam alone together.

"Hey Spence where exactly is your banjo now?" Freddie asked with an interested expression.

"It's down in the storage basement why?" Spencer asked.

"Well the truth is I want to learn how to play the banjo and I was wondering if you could teach me" Freddie lied smoothly. Spencer's eyes widened in excitement and he grabbed his keys to the storage locker.

"Oh my god this is amazing, you're going to love it I promise" Spencer added and darted out of the apartment.

_That should keep him out of the apartment for at least 10-15 minutes_ Freddie thought to himself.

He looked at Sam again who finally seemed to realize that it was just her and Freddie alone in the room.

"I'm outta here" Sam stood up to leave but Freddie blocked the door.

"Move out of the way Benson before I kick your ass myself" Sam angrily stepped into Freddie's personal space. When Freddie refused to move, Sam tried to take Freddie down but shockingly found that she couldn't get past him. They struggled for a minute before Sam gave up and looked at him in surprise.

"When the hell did you grow muscles?" she exclaimed but Freddie shook his head.

"That doesn't matter; what matters is that we need to finish our talk" Freddie was almost yelling at this point. Freddie was determined to not let Sam walk away for a third time.

"We are not going to talk about anything and if you so much as breathe a word of this weekend to Carly I will kill you" Sam stated fiercely. "Now let me go before I have to hurt you" Sam finished and Freddie begrudgingly stepped to the side.

"Where are you going to go?" Freddie asked as Sam opened the door. Sam hesitated for a moment not really knowing the answer to the question. "I don't know" Sam admitted and Freddie nodded figuring as much.

"My door's always open" Freddie said looking Sam directly in the eye. Sam smiled as much as anyone could smile in this situation. "I know it is" Sam finished and with that she closed the door and left Carly's apartment.

**A/N: Hey guys not really sure how this chapter turned out but let me know what you think. I don't know exactly how long this story will be but they're will be at least a couple more chapters before I wrap this up. I am planning for a Seddie ending although I haven't really worked out much of the plot from this point on so updating may take a bit longer. Anyways reviews are always welcome and you can expect the next update around Friday or Saturday.**


	9. Chapter 9

The Pain that Lies Within Chapter 9

That night, Freddie waited in his room for what seemed like hours. He was watching his phone almost trying to will it to ring. It had been three hours since his little confrontation with Sam in Carly's apartment. Sam had walked out and he had not heard from her since then.

He recalled their conversation. Freddie had told Sam that his door was always open. He just hoped that Sam wouldn't be stubborn enough to refuse his help. Freddie grabbed his phone, checking it again, and sighed when a new message did not pop up on the screen.

He opened a new text message, with the intention of sending it to Sam but once again sighed and closed his phone. He knew that she would not accept help if he reached out to her now. Freddie only wished that he knew where Sam was or that she was safe.

He wanted to be the one to protect her but if it couldn't be him, he'd be satisfied if someone else was watching her back. Freddie waited for some time before accepting that Sam wasn't going to be knocking on his door that night.

He knew she could be absolutely anywhere at that moment and the thought that Sam was out alone on the cold streets of Seattle, petrified him. He picked up his phone again and quickly hit Sam's number on speed dial. The call went straight to voicemail and Freddie cursed to himself. He quickly left Sam a message to tell her to call him back and closed his phone.

He lay on his bed thinking about everything that had transpired over the past week with Sam. In just a few days, the entire nature of their relationship had changed. They went from bitter rivals to best friends and skipped all the steps in between. Whether he'd like to admit it or not, Freddie cared deeply about Sam in more ways than one.

Freddie was deep in thought about Sam and almost missed his phone ringing. He quickly reached over and grabbed it, knocking over a soda bottle in the process. He flipped open the phone and looked at the Caller ID in desperation. He couldn't help but sigh in disappointment when he saw that it was his mother. He ignored the call and decided to call it a night.

He would see Sam at school tomorrow and then he would know she was safe. He fell asleep with the hope that Sam had a place to stay tonight and the hope she would one day confide in him the secrets of her dark life.

The next morning Freddie woke up with a start. He didn't know what it was but from the moment he sat up in his bed, he had a feeling that something was wrong. He got ready for school like he always did and arrived promptly at 7:30.

He grabbed his books from his locker and entered his first class. The first thing he noticed when he entered the room was that the seat next to Carly which was usually occupied by Sam was empty.

Freddie could feel his heartbeat quicken in panic. Where was Sam? Is she alright? Why is she not in school? Questions floated through his head in the 6 seconds it took him to sit down on the other side of Carly.

He opened his mouth to ask Carly about Sam but the bell rang signifying the start of class and he was robbed of the opportunity to talk to Carly. Science was usually Freddie's favorite subject but today, his mind was on anything but science. He spent the whole class thinking about Sam's current whereabouts.

Eventually he came to the realization that Sam probably just skipped class like she often does. _Yeah I'll just see her at lunchtime_ Freddie thought to himself. The bell finally rang and Freddie tried to dart out of the classroom.

"Hold on one second Mr. Benson" Mr. Jenkins, his physics teacher called to him. Freddie reluctantly approached his desk assuming he'd be reprimanded for not paying attention in class. He was already planning an apology and an excuse in his head but Mr. Jenkins caught him off guard with what he said next.

"Mr. Benson, I understand you and Ms. Puckett are good friends yes? He asked Freddie. Freddie frowned wondering what the relevance of his friendship with Sam was to his science teacher. He managed to nod his head and waited for Mr. Jenkins to continue.

"Principal Franklin got a call from Samantha's father this morning, apparently Sam was in a minor accident last night and won't be able to come into school this week" Mr. Jenkins continued to talk but Freddie's mind was already on overdrive.

He tried to listen as Mr. Jenkins handed him a stack of papers containing this week's work. As soon as he finished talking, Freddie flew out the door of the classroom.

The bell rang signifying the start of second period but at that moment, Freddie didn't care about school. He quickly maneuvered his way to an unused classroom. Sam had once shown him this room and told him how she used to climb out the window in order to get out of the school since all the doors were locked.

Freddie quickly opened the window and checked to see if the coast was clear. Once he was that it was clear, Freddie hopped down onto the pavement and made a beeline for his car in the parking lot. He didn't care how many school laws or traffic laws he needed to violate, nothing was going to stop him from reaching Sam.

He hopped in his car and drove out of the parking lot. _Well that was easy_ Freddie thought to himself as he exited school grounds. He decided that his first destination would be Sam's house. He sure as hell knew that if Sam was involved in an "accident" last night, he needed to find Sam and fast.

Sam had once confided in him that her father left her when she was five years old so Freddie knew the story behind her accident was faked. That only further increased his determination and he upped his speed.

A usual 20 minute drive was cut down to 10 as Freddie arrived at Sam's house. He thought back to the man Sam was fighting with the last time he had visited Sam. Sam had never told him his identity but Freddie knew from the way Sam acted when he brought the man up, that he was dangerous.

Freddie looked through his trunk and grabbed a tire iron. _Just in case_ Freddie thought to himself. He walked up the stairs and paused at the door. He listened at the door for sounds but heard nothing. He quietly opened the door and stealthily looked inside.

Freddie allowed a sigh of relief when he saw that nobody was in the room. He crept up the stairs knowing full well the danger that could be befalling him. The hallway was empty so Freddie made his way towards Sam's room. He listened at the door again and this time heard muffled sounds coming from the room.

He stepped back and swung the door wide open. The sight he encountered was a sight that Freddie would not get out of his mind for a long time. Sam was on her bed but restrained by 4 pieces of cloth that tied her legs and her arms to the bedposts. Her clothes were ripped and torn but still albeit barely covered her whole body. For a second, Freddie just looked at her in shock and in sadness.

He quickly moved over to her and removed the gag from her mouth. "Freddie how did you…" Sam trailed off as Freddie loosened the bonds that held her to the bed.

"Let's just call it a gut feeling" Freddie said helping Sam to her feet. "C'mon we gotta get out of here before he gets back" Sam frantically finished untying herself. Just then the two teens heard a door close downstairs.

"Fuck" Sam cried out softly. To Freddie, Sam looked like she was about to have a heart attack. "I have a plan" Freddie whispered to her.

"Just make yourself look like you're all tied up" Freddie said and quickly threw himself into the closet as he heard footsteps coming up the stairs. He heard the door to Sam's room creak open and saw the same man as the other day step into the room.

Freddie instantly felt complete disdain for the man who had hurt Sam. _When did I become so protective over her?_ Freddie thought to himself. As Tony moved over to Sam, Freddie tightened his grip on the baseball bat in his hand. He saw Tony bend over to whisper something to Sam.

_It's now or never_ Freddie thought to himself. He swung open the closet doors as Tony turned around in surprise. Freddie used every ounce of strength in his body and took a swing for Tony's jaw. The crack they heard signified that Freddie had connected and Tony dropped to the ground unconscious. Freddie quickly grabbed Sam's hand and led her out of the room. He happened to notice a spark that filled his body when his hand touched hers. He shook it off as a product of the ensuing chaos and together they rushed out of the house.

Not taking any chances this time, Freddie drove off as soon as both of them were in the car. "Why do I feel like we've done this before? Freddie remarked with a hint of a grin on his face.

He was trying to lighten the mood a bit with the drama that just happened and was pleased to see that Sam let out a half smile at his lame joke. It wasn't much but he would take anything at this point. Eventually they reached Bushwell Plaza and Sam made a move to step out of the car but Freddie lightly grabbed her hand.

Sam turned, ready to rip into him until she saw the serious expression on his face. She reluctantly sat back down in her seat and turned to face Freddie.

"Look Sam, we can't be doing this anymore" Freddie sighed. "I want to help you with this but one of these days you're going to have to let me into your life" Sam went to interrupt him but Freddie stopped her.

"I know you've spent the majority of your life building these walls so that you won't get hurt but Sam I am not going to hurt you" Freddie was looking Sam dead in the eye now. He wanted to make sure she understood he truly meant every word he was saying.

"I am not like every other guy that has been in your life so far Sam" Freddie said. "I am not going to leave you because I find someone better like Jonah did, I am not going to try to change you because I love you exactly the way you are right now, and I'm sure as hell not going to walk out on you like your father did" Freddie finished.

That speech struck a nerve in Sam and she could feel the tears welling up in her eyes. The emotion of the last few days had been building up and Sam could feel her hold on her walls slipping away. Freddie scooped her up bridal style and carried her up to his apartment. He led her to his bed where she finally broke down crying on his shoulder.

She hated being vulnerable like this but here with Freddie she felt different. She felt like she was being comforted not pitied. She felt safe knowing that no matter what happened, he was going to be there for her. That night Sam fell asleep in Freddie's arms, thinking that perhaps she had finally found someone who would love her for her and not for someone she could become.

**A/N: "Apologizes a thousand times over" I know it has been a very very long time since the last update and I'm sorry for that. My computer was destroyed by a virus and I lost everything and I haven't had much desire to write. There isn't much left in this story and I want to finish it so hopefully I can get another update up next week. Please tell me what you think about this chapter :)**


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